Folder for sewing-machines.



3 SHEETSSHEET I 3mm, whoa W MW @HoznmaS Qmmmw I. R. MOFFATT. FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLlCATION man AUG.I5.1913.

Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

I 19%3y98m1 3 SHEET E 1' 2 6] lffckum s J. R. MOFFATT.

FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.15, 1913.

1,231,801 Patented Aug. 21, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

7 amuc-wtoz hhwooao "4M W 6 6 iif? 3% y mm JAMES 1a. MOFFATZQOF CHICAGO, ILLiivoIs, Assieivort TO UNION SPECIAL MAciiiivE' COMPANY, OFCI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, e conroimrio v or ILLINOIS.

FOLDER :FORS EWI NG-MAGHI NES. f

res-moi.

l Specification of Letters Patent. Patented A11 21,1917.

App1ieationfi 1edAugust 15, 1913. Seri a1No.784,95'1.

To all whom it may concern ,1

Be it known that 1, JAMES ormw, a citizen of the Uniter'lStates, residing at 300 \V. Kinzie st.,Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented oertain new and useful Improvements inlFolders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference beingv had to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in folders for sewing 1na-' chines, and more particularly to folders which are capable of guiding and directing a strip offabric in a direction at rightangles to the line of feed and inverting said strip as it is led to the stitohingmechanism. w

An object of the invention is to provide a folder of the abovecharacter which is so GOllStlLlCtGtltllttt thefcapacity of the folder I may be varied without stopping the stitch ing mechanism, so that, a{ strip varying in width may be folded and theffree edges thereof properly directed 1 to the stitching mechanism. I w a r A further object of the invention is to provide a folder of the above character which is so constructed as toturnin 'tlie folder adjusted for folding and directing,

the narrower portion of the strip; H c

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the folder from therear thereof; Fig. 4- is a view of a .gai-iiient showing the shaped or pointed collaret folded and attached to the garment by myimproved mechanism; p v

Fig. 5 isza front view of the folder detached from the machine;

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the same; v F 1g. 7 is a central horizontal SGCUOIlfLl view through the .folder, showing thefolder adjusted r01- folding and dii'ectingthe nar rower portions of the strip; e w

Fig. 8 is a sect'onal view through the collaret and the garment showing the int irned edges; a

accompanying drawing and to the 1 Fig.) 9 a view similar to flFig. 7 showing the vfolder adjusted for folding and guiding the wider portions ofthe strip.

The invention consists generally in forminga folder which is cut at an angle at its delivering end so. that the strip passing through the folder maybe folded and in verted as it is led tothe stitching mecha lllSlIli The outerwall ofthe foldei-is preferably fixed. This outerwall also supports theguiding members for turning backthe edgespf thestrip. Said guiding portions turn the edges back oiitogthe outer face of the strip as it-passes through the folder so that whensaid stripis inverted, said edges will be turned inf between the body of the binding strip and thefabric being bound.

The inner wall ofthe folder, which engages the strip at the in ier'fold and over which thestrip isinverted, is made adjustable, and the devices through which theadjustmentmay be accomplished are so construct ed that the delivering end of the folder may be maintained substantially uniform; that is, the portion of the inner wall over which the fabric turned when adjusted is moved in. a direction substantially parallel with the delivering end of tlieouter wallWThis' adjustment is also accomplished by; devices which may be manipulatedwhen the machineis in operation.

Referring norein detail to the drawings,

have shown my improved folderfapplied to. a sewing machine which is provided with a worl; support 1. The fabric is heldon work support by a presser foot 2, which is attached tothe usual presser rod 3. The

machine isca lso providedgwith the usual; feeding,mechanism, and sa d feeding "mech anisi'n' preferably includes air upper feed dogee- Thef stitching mechanism, as shown inthe drai'vings, consists of a needle 5, which. passes through the usual needle throat in the presser foot. These parts are of the usual construction and are shown merely for the purpose of making cleanthe' relation of the folder to the stitching mech anismand the parts cooperating therewith.

The folder 6 consists of a supporting bracket 7, which is a secured by suitable screws 8, 8 to the workdsupport l. l Said folder 6 is formed with an outer wall 9, which is rigidly attached to the supporting bracket 7 This outer wall terminates at 1 0, which is the receiving end offithe folder, and at 11,"whichis the delivering endof thejfolder. The-outer wall. at each edge is bent back upon itself, as at, 12, and this bent-back portion, which lies close to the wall, is also again turned back andextended around the free edge of the main end of the folder so that the strip of fabric received by the folder in a substantially flat vertical condition,- following the outer wall, will be'folded between its edges, and the edges turned back into the channels or guideways 15, which are formed by these bent-back portions above referred to. The inner wall 16 of the folder atthe delivering end is] U-shaped in cross section, and said wall is; cutfat anfangle of substantially 45 to the longitudinal axis 'of the folder, and, therefore,- said delivering end will lie substantially in the same vertical plane as the delivering edge, or end of the outer folding Wall. Thisinner wall, at the receiving end,

is formed with a vertical flat portion 17 and said Wallis gradually'turned from the, fiat'section 17 so as to form the U-shaped section 16 at the delivering end thereof. The free edges of the inner wall extend underneath the free edges ofthe bent-back portions carried the outer wall, as is clearly shown in Fig. 8. Said inner Walladjacent the receiving end ofthe folder is formed ateach edge with a turned-overlip 18. These around the outer-wall 9 of the folder, and

turned-over lips 18 extend said lips are free to slide along said Outer wall. Adjacent the delivering end of the inner wall'is alug 19, which is formed with an-eye '20 adapted toreceive one end of a coiled spring 21. The other end of the coiled spring is attached to an arm 22, which is rigidly secured to the outer wall. This spring-normally pulls orforces the .inner Wall; ofthe folder'toward the receiving end er the folder. The wall '9 at its reeeiving endis bentiso asto form a rib or stop 23, against which the lips '18 strike.

The lug 19 is also perforated as at 2 1. v A

shaft 25. is mounted in a suitablebracket 26 secured to the outer stationary wall of the folder, and this; shaft at its lower end is formed with a crank arm; 27, which engages the perforation 24 in the lug 19. At its outerend said shaft is formed with a handle 2 8 This crank arm "27fis so disposed 'rela:

ti ve' to the shaft 25. that when the shaft is turned the outer end-of the arm will swing iii; 31 ar iinil ated i tt l n s i F 'Z' and '9. This will carry the delivering end of theinner wi hin a direction which is delivering endof the folder;

substantially parallel to; the plane of the edges.

of the folderi may be had. In other words,

a strip leading through the folder and inverted over the inner wall will be of the width indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9. hen the inner wall is adjusted. to the position shown in Fig. 7, then the capacity of the-folder is less, for the reason that the width of the strip which is folded depends upon the distance of that portion of the inner wall which engages the strip at the fold between its edges from the part of the outer wall which engages the folded edges of the strip. The width of the strip which will be folded by this folder, when so ad'- justed,is indicated in Fig. 7 in dotted lines. By this shifting of the inner wall, it will be apparent that I have provided a folder wherein the edges may be folded back and the capacity of the folder may be adjusted, without in any way disturbing said folded If, therefore, the folder be set so as to properly guide the folded edges to the needle 5 of the stitching mechanism, said folder may be adjusted to vary its capacity for narrower strips which are to be folded and have their edges turned in, without adjusting' the main folder relative to the stitching mechanism. In other words, the adjusting of the capacity of the folder is brought about solely by adjusting the part which engages and determines the fold formed between the edges of the strip.

It will also be apparent from the above description thatby manipulating the shaft 25 while the strip is passing through the folder, I am able to vary the capacity of the folder to accommodate and to accord with varying widths in the strip. If a strip which is shaped so as to vary in width is passed through the folder, the operator by watchingor following the strip as it is led from thefolder may quickly shift the hand lever 28, thus changing the capacity of the folder to accord with the variation in the width of the strip, and thereby properly present the folded edges of the strip so as to be engaged by the needle. This adjustment of the folder may also be readily accomplished without stopping the stitching mechanism.

My improved folder is especially adapted for stitching shaped or pointed collarets to a garment. In Fig. 4 of the drawings I have shown a garment G to which is secured a collaret or binding strip B. The collaret at the middle of theback and over the shoulders is of uniform maximum width. This collaret, however, is tapered from the points 7), b to the overlapping edges of the garment In stitching a strip of this character to a garment the folder is adjusted by the operator so as to vary its capacity as the width of the strip varies and without stopping the stitching mechanism. I amable thereby to turn in the edges of the collaret I strip and direct said turned-in edges to the stitching 'mechanism, notwithstanding the fact that said strip is of varying widths be-- tween its ends. It will. be understood that these collarets are attached one to the other and are Severed so as to finish the ends thereof.

While I have described my inventionas V particularly applied to a folder which is so constructed as to fold back the free edges of a strip, it will be understood that from certain aspects of the invention, the adjusting means for varying the folderf may be applied to a folder which is not provided with the bent-back portions for the edges,

andwhieh is adapted to guide and 'folda strip having a cut edge, and direct'said strip to a stitching mechanism of a character which will cover said out edge with stitching threads] Or, a strip having selvage edges maybe directed through such a folder to astitching mechanism of the character indicated above. My improved 1 folder is especially adapted for directing a strip or collaret formed ofelastic material, but it will be obvious that said folder is equally adapted for foldingand directing a strip of non-elasticmaterial. p 1

While I have-described my invention as particularly adapted to a folder which directs a strip in'a direction at right angles to the line of feed and inverts said Strip as it folding a strip between its edges, folding in the edges of the stripand' for inverting said folded strip, and means whereby the operator may adjust at will said folding device whereby the relative position of the stitches to the fold between the edges of the strip may be varied without stopping the stitching mechanism, and the strip thereby given a substantial taper.

2. The combination with stitching mechanism, of a folder including an inner and outer guiding wall, the delivering ends of which are oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder, whereby a strip may be folded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, and means for adjusting the po-' sition of the delivering end ofthe inner wall in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the delivering end of the outer wall without stopping the stitching mechanism whereby the capacity of the folder may be varied and the strip thereby given a substantial taper.

. 3. The combination with stitching mecha nism, of a folder including an inner and outer guiding wall, the delivering ends of which areoblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder, whereby strip may befolded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, and means for adjusting the position of the dehvermg end of the inner wall in a direction substantlally parallel with the plane of the delivering end of the outer wall without stopping the stitching mechanism, said outer wall being shaped so as tofold back the edges of said strip.

4; The combinationwith stitching mechanism, 'of a folder including an inner and outer guiding wall, the delivering ends of which are oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder, whereby astrip may be folded and inverted asy'it is led to the stitching mechanism, and means under the control of the operator for adjusting said inner wall bodily relative to the outer wall in a directiontoward and from the line of feed for varying the capacity of the folder, without stopping the stitching mechanism whereby a strip of varying width may be folded and guided tothe stitching mechanism and the strip therebygiven a substantial taper. i

5. The combination with stitchingmecha nism, of a folder including an innerand outer guiding wall, the delivering ends of which are oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder, whereby a strip may be folded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, and means for adjusting said inner wall bodily in a direction toward and from the line of feed for varying-the capacity of the folder without stopping the stitching mechanism whereby thestrip may be given a substantial taper, said outer wall being shaped so as to fold back the edges of the strip. i i i p 6. The combination with stitching mechanism, of a folder including an inner and I outer guidingwall, the delivering ends of which are oblique to the longitudinalaxis ofthe folder, whereby'a strip may be folded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, and means for adjusting the delivering end of the inner wall in a direction substantially parallel with the delivering end of the outer wall and the receiving end of theinner wall in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the folder without stopping the stitching mechanism whereby a strip having a substantial taper thereto may be properly directed to the stitching mechanism, said adjusting means including said inner wall, said crank arm being so dis-.

posed relative to the shaftthat an oscillation of'the shaft will movethe delivering end of the inner'wall in a direction substantially parallel to the delivering end of the. folder.

8. The combination with stitching mecha-, nism, of a folder including an, inner and outer guiding wall, the delivering ends of which are oblique to the longitudinalaxis of thefolder, whereby a strip may be folded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, ashaft secured to the folder ad: jacent the delivering end thereof, a crank arm carried by the ,shaft,-and connected to. said inner wall, said crank arm being-so disposed relative to the shaft that an oscillation of the shaft will move the delivering end of the innerwall in a direction substantially parallel t o, the delivering end of the folder, said inner wall of the folder having a sliding connection with the outer wall" at the receiving end thereof.

9. The combination withs'titching mechanism, of a folder including an inner and outer guiding. wall, .the'delivering ends of which are obliqueto. the-longitudinal axis ofthe folder, whereby a strip may be folded and inverted as it is led to the stitching mechanism, a shaft secured to the folder adjacent the delivering end thereof, a crank arm carried by the'shaft, and connected to said inner wall, said crank arm, being so disposed relative to, the shaft thatan oscillatlOIl of'the shaft will move the delivering end of the inner wall in a direction sub.-

stantially parallel to the delivering end, of the folder, said outer wall having means for folding backthe edges of, the fabric.

10. A folder for sewing machines, including abracket, an outer guiding wall secured to. said bracket, an inner guiding wall mounted on said outer guiding wall, said guiding walls at the delivering end thereof being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folderwhereby a strip ,of fabric maybe guided, folded and inverted, said inner wall having a sliding connection with the outer wall atthe receiving end thereof, and a swinging connection with the outer wall at the delivering end thereof, whereby said in.- ner Wall at its delivering end may be adwith stitching mecha-f justed in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the delivering end of the folder.

11. A folder for sewing machines, including a bracket, an outer guiding wall secured to said bracket, an inner guiding wall mounted on said outer: guiding wall, said guiding walls at the delivering end thereof being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder whereby a strip of fabric may be guided, folded and inverted, a shaft carried by said outer wall, a crank arm carried by said shaftand engaging the inner wall, said crank arm and shaft being so disposed that an oscillation ofthe shaft will move the delivering end of the inner wall in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the delivering end of the folder.

12; A folder for sewing machines, includ ing a bracket, an outer guiding wall secured to said" bracket, an inner guiding wall mounted on said outer wall, said guiding walls at the delivering end thereof being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder whereby a strip of fabric may be guided, folded and inverted, a shaft carried by said outer. wall, a crank arm carried by said shaft and engaging the inner wall, said crank arm and shaft being so disposed that an oscillation of the shaft will move the delivering end of the inner wall in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the delivering end of the folder, said inner wall at the receiving end thereof having lip's bent over the outer wall and slidingly engaging the same. a

13. A folder for sewing machines, including a; bracket, an outer guiding wall secured to said bracket, an inner guiding wall mounted on said outer wall, said guiding walls at the delivering end thereof being oblique to the longitudinal axis of the folder whereby a strip'of fabric may be guided, folded and inverted, a shaft carried by said outer wall, a crank arm carried by said shaft and engaging the inner wall, said crank arm and shaft being so disposed. that an oscillation of the; shaft-will move the delivering end of the inner wall in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the delivering end of-the folder, said inner wall at the receiving end thereof having lips bent over the outer wall and slidingly engaging the same, a spring connecting said inner wall to said. outer wall and normally holding said inner wall in a position for the maXi mum capacity of the folder.

In testimony whereof, I aflix 'my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

-- JANYES R. MOFFATT.

Witnesses: a.

A. B.,CLOTHIER, C; .MoNEIL.

Copies et -this patent may. be qbtained fer. five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Ifatents,

Washington, D. G. 

